Love in Three Acts
by toomanycurls
Summary: Love in three acts: friendship, love, betrayal - the story of Sirius/Remus.
1. Act 1: Friendship

Love, it is often said, comes in three acts. First friendship blooms when the conditions are right - where two share trust and do not give into fright. Then love develops when one of two shows the other something new which wasn't expressed before. Last it all comes to and end when winter approaches and the cold descends.

**Summer, 1977**

There was a new rule in the Potter house – never agree to anything James suggests before morning tea. Such behavior led to Mr. and Mrs. Potter hosting a house of teenaged boys for the last three weeks of summer. Sirius had been a frequent visitor for the last year since moving into his own flat not too far away. Remus and Peter were often over as well but the three of them and James made for a more than hectic house. It was the quaffle sailing through the back window that caused Mrs. Potter, who was generally rather relaxed when it came to teenage shenanigans, to march outside with the offending quidditch ball under arm.

"Sorry, Mum," James called out when she appeared in the back garden. He was holding his arms out expectantly. When the ball did not sail into his outstretched hands, James' face fell slightly.

Remus immediately noticed they had upset her with their rowdy behavior. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Potter," he said, shooting Sirius a stern looked as the dark haired teenager stifled giggles with Peter. "I missed the quaffle because I wasn't paying enough attention." Always one to take responsibility, Remus left out that Sirius had been creeping up on him with a mischievous look that would cause anyone to lose sight of a large flying object.

Feeling frustration soften at Remus' contrite demeanor, Mrs. Potter softened her face and suggested they four boys go to London for the day. "I'll have dinner ready at 7 so you should be back by then," she called out to the retreating boys.

Peter turned back smiling as he said, "See you tonight!"

Once they were on the small road that led into Godric's Hollow, James stopped his three friends. "What should we do in London?" he asked waggling his eyebrows.

"We could check out Knockturn Alley," Peter suggested with a furtive look on his face.

Sirius shook his head. "That's a breeding ground for death eater activity," he said with a scowl. "I wouldn't mind a good fight but that would be like walking into a viper's nest."

Remus and James looked taken aback by Sirius' words of caution as he was often the one to suggest the most reckless plans. "Let's decide on the basics first – wizard or muggle London?" he asked looking at his three friends. After a mummer of 'muggle' and shrugs came from James and Peter, Remus said, "Do any of us know what there is to do in muggle London?"

"Anything would be fun – as long as Padfoot doesn't get us directions," James said with a smile on his face.

"That was last summer, Prongs. Besides, we were just tramping around," Sirius said with a barking laugh. "I do remember these signs for bus tours."

"Let's do that," Peter agreed. "Mum's always getting on me to learn a bit about my muggle family," he added after James raised an eyebrow at his quick agreement.

After apparating to an alley next to the Ministry where they had all taken their apparition tests, James led his friends toward the main street. Within 20 minutes they found the bus tours, got tickets, and stood in queue. Peter was listening to James as he talked about his plans for the quidditch team that year. Sirius was sidled up next to Remus but neither of them started conversation for a few minutes.

Sirius knew his friend well enough to expect that he was going over a list of precautions and considerations they should be making while out in muggle society. They heard the loud rumble of the diesel engine before the red double-decker bus came into view. Sirius, feeling an itch to be on his motorcycle pondered, "How big is the engine in that thing?"

Remus glanced at the large vehicle that had just stopped with a loud whine before saying, "Engine? _You mean they aren't powered by giant hamsters on wheels? I was misinformed.*_"

It took Sirius a glance at Remus' face to tell if he was taking the mickey or quite confused. The glint in Remus' amber eyes and smile threatening to break across his face signaled the humor behind his statement. "Muggles had to look at alternatives to hamster transportation once people started to lobby for hamster rights," he said in a serious tone. "Buses stopped going for weeks – it was a nightmare."

They got on the bus and ascending the stairs to the top where they filled two rows on the left side where the best views were said to be had. Remus took the window seat and Sirius plopped next to him. "I don't recall Professor Burbank talking about the giant hamster emancipation in muggle studies," Remus commented still holding in his grin. If dry humor were an art, Remus would be its Da Vinci.

"You didn't take muggle studies," Sirius said as half a statement and half a question – it was hard enough to remember what classes they had last year leg alone two years ago.

"That could be why I don't recall a lecture on it," Remus said finally letting a grin linger on his scared face.

With a lurch the bus started on its way causing Remus to brace himself by accidentally grabbing Sirius' knee. "Usually I'm the one to try that move," Sirius joked with a sideways glance at his friend.

A blush tinted Remus' cheeks. "Sorry, Padfoot," Remus muttered, folding his hands carefully so that they were not at risk of touching Sirius.

"I was just yanking your wand. Though, I wouldn't mind – " Sirius stopped midsentence as a tour guide approached them with a black, thick wand with a cord trailing behind it.

"What brings you lads on the London Historical Tour?" he asked with a wide grin.

Sirius caught James' eye and smirked. "Well, sir, I'm visiting here from the United States of America," Sirius belted out in his best American accent. When the guide asked where in US Sirius was visiting from, he looked slightly dumbstruck then said, "From the Salem Academy of M – " Remus elbowed Sirius to stop him from revealing the name of a magical school. "Of Motors," Sirius finished.

After the slightly confused looking guide moved onto another cluster of people, James and Peter turned around in their seat. "Academy of Motors?" James asked smirking. "Good thing Moony stopped you. Why not draw them a map to Hogwarts?"

"Is there a map to Hogwarts?" Peter asked no one in particular.

"Of course not," Sirius said shortly. "It's _hidden_."

The crackle of outdated speakers diverted the boys from their discussion as a voice said, "On your left, there's the London Tower, where – "

Sirius leaned across Remus to stare out the window. Turning towards Remus, whose face was just a few inches from his own, Sirius said, "Mum always told me our family ran part of the Tower." Staring for a few more moments, he added, "I don't buy it though."

Once Sirius was back in his part of the seat, Remus let out a breath he didn't realize was being held in. "Maybe that's why your family started beheading house-elves," Remus commented mildly. "They had to stop doing it to muggles."

That evening dinner was delicious as it tended to be at the Potter residence. The dining table comfortable sat six but somehow Sirius managed to sit so that his legs brushed against Remus as they ate. "Pass me the gravy, will you?" Sirius asked as his knee bumped against Remus' chair.

James seemed to notice Remus' face blush and asked, "Feeling alright, Moon? It's not…" James' voice trailed off for a moment as he glanced at his parents. "…too warm in here," he finished turning a bit red himself.

"I'll open a window," Mr. Potter said reaching for his wand. Once the evening air could be felt circulated through the room, he asked, "Is that better, Remus, James?"

"Much better, thank you," Remus said smiling. A sideways glance at Sirius showed him a sly smile and a glint in his friend's eyes.

"How was London?" Mrs. Potter asked the four teenagers.

Peter, who quite liked the Potters, was the first with an answer. "We went on a muggle tour of the city and Sirius pretended to be American," he summarized as he dunked a roll in gravy.

"Yes, ma'am, I pretended to be from Salem," Sirius said in his horrible Yankee accent. Mr. Potter laughed heartily at Sirius' accent which prompted him to use all the American slang he knew that night.

Sleeping arrangements were tight when all four of them were over. While there was a guest room that could house two and James' room could easy bunk a pair, the friends did not like the idea of sleeping apart. Mrs. Potter allowed the boys to move an extra bed into James' room so they could bunk together like they did at Hogwarts. James and Remus ended up sharing a bed which was more than okay with Remus. He wasn't sure if he had been misinterpreting normal friend behavior for some sort of flirtation from Sirius but he didn't know what to make of the actions or how it made his stomach feel warm and fluttery. While James kicked in his sleep, there wasn't the risk of waking up with his hands somewhere private.

The next morning brought bright and cheery sunlight into the room as well as rather disgruntled bedheads. "Wormtail, how can you sleep diagonally?" Sirius asked stretching out. "I had about this much," he held up his hands a few inches apart, "room to sleep."

"You could have transformed to Padfoot," James said brightly, being the only morning person of the group.

"But then I'd have to sleep next to dog breath," Peter teased. "It's bad enough when he's a human."

Getting out of bed, Remus said, "I should take care of my own dragon breath," and went to brush teeth. It was fun to spend all his time with friends, but a few moments alone in the loo were quite refreshing. There's only so much best friend exposure a person can take. That was until the bathroom door opened and Sirius sauntered in. "Isn't the bathroom a private place?" Remus asked with his toothbrush in between his teeth.

"Not when there are four of us here. At least you still have pants on," Sirius said as his eyes shot downwards for a moment. "Not a nudist like Reg always was."

Remus spit in the sink before saying, "You might give people the courtesy of a knock."

"That's what locked doors are for," Sirius said with a wink. "Don't take forever on your beauty routine – Prongs says he wants to wander around the village with us."

Sirius left Remus alone in the bathroom and wen to change into his clothes. Halfway through pulling his t-shirt off, Sirius stopped to think about the tall, lean werewolf who had just re-entered the bedroom purposely avoiding Sirius' gaze. He felt a pull towards Moony that was quite distinct than the bonds felt towards the other two friends. Remus was more than shy when it came to flirting – he rebuffed advances from anyone who tried to get close. At times it seemed a small miracle that he had let James, Sirius, and Peter close enough to be the friends they became.

The main benefit to hanging about in a magical village like Godric's Hollow was not having to hide or disguise magic. James wanted to show his friends the cemetery nearby as it was old and creepy – possibly haunted but it was hard to believe such things on a bright, sunny day. With another group of teenagers, this would have been a 20 minute walk through the cemetery but with these four it turned into a water fight.

James initiated the battle between them when he hit Sirius with a stream of water out of his wand. Turning about with his eyes wide in disbelief, Sirius had his wand on Peter who was guffawing and shot a jet of water at his face. "Remus, duck!" Sirius shouted pulling Remus behind a headstone to protect him from the liquid being showered toward him.

Their backs against the headstone of a centuries dead wizard, Remus and Sirius were shooting water at Peter and James who were a mere 10 meters away. "How did we get into this water duel?" Remus asked as he peered over the top of the marble stone.

Sirius shrugged, saying, "How do we ever get into these situations?"

"You and James think life is getting too dull and cause a bit of trouble," Remus offered. He screwed his face up and muttered an inaudible spell that caused a wall of water to stand between them and the other two.

"Woah," Sirius breathed looking at the immense wall of liquid. Then he too had a sudden look of concentration as he waved his wand, causing the wall of water to turn into the shape of a dog.

"Impressive," Remus said grinning. "Is that you or me?"

"I can't tell," Sirius said squinting. "Could be both of us."

The sight of a canine-shaped mass of water caused the fun duel to end as James and Peter extracted themselves from their hiding spot to admire the excellent use of charms and transfiguration. "Not bad, Padfoot," James said reaching out to pat the water dog on its head.

"Oh, I just transfigured it. Moony made the massive wall," Sirius said, running a hand through his black hair.

"Is that humility, Prongs?" Peter asked, laughing. "Though I see you made it in your own image," he added, still laughing.

"It could be me," Remus added with a grin.

Before they could discuss the watery statue, an elderly wizard started shouting at them for befouling the ancient graveyard. "Almost a millennium of wizard history beneath your feed and you yahoos are treating it like a – " the man paused as if trying to think of a severe enough word. "Like a _muggle_," he finally said. Sirius, James, Peter, and Remus filed past the old man hearing him mutter, "no respect," as he shut the gate to the cemetery.

"Does he know your parents?" Peter asked nervously once they were out of earshot of the man, who had stayed by the gate to prevent re-entry.

"Dunno," James said glancing back. "I don't recognize him."

"Let's head back to your place and get washed up," Remus suggested after pushing aside his wet hair.

If the Potters heard about the various escapades in the village that day, they did not let on when the boys got home that afternoon. Mrs. Potter had snacks waiting for them. "Looks like you had an eventful day," she commented as the four boys went to go change. "I hope the garden is still in one piece," she called after them.

Over the next few weeks, Sirius and Remus drew slowly closer to one another like two celestial bodies being pulled in by the other's gravitational pull. It was a collision course that neither realized they were on. One balmy night, when James and Peter had already passed out, exhausted by the day's exertions, Sirius suggested they sneak out to ride his motorbike.

"Do you know how to operate that thing?" Remus asked as Sirius rolled the vehicle away from the Potter residence. He didn't remember agreeing to go on this journey, yet he was mere steps behind Sirius.

"I'm a pro, Moony," Sirius assured Remus as he mounted the bike. "Sidecar or behind me?"

The sidecar looked too small to fit anything other than a large rucksack and Remus was a rather tall teenager. "I'll get on back," he decided before tentatively swinging a leg over the bike and wrapping his arms securely around Sirius.

Both teenagers reacted to being so close together. Sharing a dormitory, they were used to seeing each other naked and being in close quarters. However, this was the first time since their confusing feelings were aroused that Sirius and Remus were so close to intimate contact. "Ready?" Sirius asked turning his head to catch a glimpse of Remus.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Remus said wearily.

With a kick and a roar, the bike came to life and Sirius took off into the night with Remus' strong arms around his waist. They flew up over the tree line and went southeast from Godric's Hollow. A while later, after passing into less populated land, Sirius began to make a decent into a field next to a pond. There wasn't a road for them so the motorcycle had a bumpy landing.

Stumbling off the bike, feeling a bit numb from the ride, Remus asked, "Have you been here before?" He couldn't help but wonder if this was a place Sirius went to be alone as he had seemed to know where he was going.

"I've been here a few times," Sirius admitted. "Always alone though," he added looking around the field. Next to the pond there was a tall pear tree that was as tall as most houses. Flitting through the tall grass in the field were fireflies with their flickering yellow lights. Remus captured a handful to show Sirius.

"When I was a child, before I was bitten, I used to go out at night and try catching these during the summer," he said, letting the insects fly in his cupped hands.

It was easy for Sirius to imagine a version of Remus, a few years younger than he was they first met, free of scars and an aversion to socializing, going out to capture the seemingly magical bugs. "I think they like you," Sirius said as he watched more fireflies light around Remus' head. It almost looked like he had a halo with the soft lights flashing around his head.

"It's the pheromones," Remus explained, glancing around to see just how many bugs he attracted.

Somehow, Sirius was inches from Remus with his face a less than a polite distance away. "I don't think it's just hormones," he said quietly. Remus froze as Sirius reached up, brushing a few stray hairs from Remus' brows. "It's much more than chemistry."

Time seemed to slow down as Sirius' hand weaved into Remus' hair and he leaned in, slowly letting their lips touch. He wasn't sure how Remus would react but was pleasantly surprised when Remus returned the kiss with passionate pressure. A friendship changed that night from confidant to lover and would never be the same.

A/N: Let me know what you think! This story will be three chapters long and each chapter has a different theme (which you can guess at if you read the intro paragraph!

"Engine? _You mean they aren't powered by giant hamsters on wheels? I was misinformed.*_" is from Michael Grant and I do not own it.

This story is inspired (thematically) by Pique Dame by Franz Suppe.


	2. Act 2: Romance

**August, 1979**

It was a hot, uncomfortable day to be running errands but Sirius and Remus were out on a mission. Two missions if truth be told. The first was to gather intel on a death eater gathering that was meant to happen right in Knockturn Alley. The other was to get Sirius fitted for his dress robes he was to wear to Lily and James' wedding. They didn't have many details on the group they'd be following or the purpose of the gathering they were meant to observe but by all accounts it was a low-risk mission.

"Do you think we'll stand out wandering down Knockturn together?" Remus asked in a low voice as they exited the Leaky Cauldron.

"You might," Sirius laughed. Pulling Remus towards an alley between shops, he added, "I'm going in with my disguise."

Sirius was usually exuberant during missions, if not slightly reckless. Something about putting it all on the line made him feel alive in a way that he couldn't otherwise experience. In the shade between Quality Quidditch Supplies and a small bakery, Sirius wore an eager grin that worried Remus more than it put him at ease. "Are you sure Padfoot is the best disguise for this mission?" Remus asked with anxiety creeping through him. "I don't think there are many stray dogs roaming the streets of wizard London."

After a fleeting kiss, Sirius transformed into a large black dog and took off towards Knockturn Alley. Remus hurried after the large black dog with his eyebrows furrowed with frustration. "Pardon me," he said to the witches and wizards he bumped into while in pursuit of Sirius.

When he finally caught up with Sirius, they were two stores down from Borgin and Burkes and had caused quite a scene. A small group was watching Remus and Sirius with interest. One of them, a tall burly man, approached Remus with a sinister glint in his eyes.

"Is that your dog?"

"This dog, oh yes," Remus stammered. "He got away from me – must have seen a cat."

"Thorfinn, come check out this brute," the burly man called over to the group still chatting several feet away. Crouching down, the man reached towards Sirius. "There's a nice doggy," he cooed.

Sirius growled and barred his teeth. "Careful, he's a bit tense around strangers," Remus warned. Reaching into his satchel, Remus pointed his wand at a quill and transfigured it into what he hoped would pass for a leash. "Let me get the leash –" Remus stopped as he realized there wasn't a collar on Sirius' neck. This is something the man who was showing great interest in the black dog noticed as well.

"Won't get too far with that if you don't have a collar," he noted with a grin. "What's your name?"

"Oh, I'm…" Remus faltered for a moment as he decided between making up a new name or using his real identity. Both options presenting risk – the truth would give this group an easy way to track Remus and Sirius down in the future but lies would risk being found out as spies. "Lupin," he said firmly. "And this is my dog–" he stopped again. He called Sirius Padfoot enough around people to make it an easy connection even for the dullest death eater to make with some digging. "-Snuffles."

"I'm Floyd Gibbon and this here is Thorfinn Rowle," Gibbon said indicating the man who he called over earlier. "And over there we have the Carrows."

Remus' stomach dropped at the names he was presented with. Gibbon was suspected of murdering an auror named Smyth and the Carrows were reported to be some of the most violent of the death eater crowd. Idly stroking Sirius' head, Remus was trying to think of a way to leave before the conversation moved from lovable pets to something more dangerous.

"Nice to make your acquaintance," Remus smiled weakly.

"Make our acquaintance?" Called one of the Carrows with a cackle. "I doubt you'd really want to make our acquaintance, boy."

Sirius started to growl again and stepped protectively in front of Remus. "We should be off. All the attention is upsetting Snuffles," Remus said, backing away from Gibbon. When he was several steps away, Remus turned and walked away at what he hoped was an easy pace.

Behind him, he could hear Gibbon say, "We got better things to do than chase done a mudblood and his dog."

Once they were back in the alley where Sirius had transformed, Remus wiped sweat from his brow and leaned against the stone wall. "You are the most reckless, irresponsible," Remus paused and rubbed his forehead for a moment as if trying to think of a strong enough word to describe Sirius.

The large black dog wore what could be described as a smile as it transformed into a dark-haired man. "Come on, Moony. That went swimmingly well," he said, running his fingers through Remus' hair. "That is, it went well until you tried to put a leash on me." This statement caused Remus to raise his brow. "What? I'm un-leashable."

"That much is clear," came Remus' voice, stifling a shaky laugh. Pulling Sirius closer, he said, "You'll have to pay for that debacle later."

Planting a kiss on Remus' neck, Sirius asked, "What debacle? I helped us gain valuable death eater information. Who knew they were dog people?"

"I'm sure Dumbledore will thank us in person for that crucial information – death eaters like dogs" Remus said, unable to keep his voice sarcasm free. "We should head into Madam Malkins for your robe fitting," he added looking at the watch on his wrist.

Minutes later, they had been assigned a store clerk to help with the fitting. "It looks like we have a set of dress robes for Sirius," the young witch said cheerily. Sirius took the garment bag and entered a room to change. "And we have an outfit for Remus," she added reading the name from a second garment bag.

Remus blinked, caught by surprise with this news. "Oh, I shouldn't have any –" he started but was interrupted by Sirius' voice.

"Yes, you do. Go try it on."

Taking the bag, Remus went into the second changing room. "I didn't think Lily would have an outfit for me to wear tomorrow," he called over the wall.

"You know how she gets – wants all the details hammered out," Sirius said with a muffled voice.

The garment bag revealed a pair of leather pants and a blue dress shirt. "She wants me to wear _this_ to her wedding?" Remus asked incredulously.

"Just try it on, Moony," Sirius said rattling the door to Remus' fitting room.

"How did she know my size?" Remus asked as he slipped the pants on. "Don't tell me you let her raid my closet."

"Uh… no, not that."

The tone of Sirius' voice told Remus that there was more to the outfit he was trying on than was previously told. It was with a pang of trepidation that Remus opened his fitting room door only to see Sirius' grin. "I can't go to James and Lily's wedding wearing these. They're… they're sexy pants," Remus said in a low voice. "I doubt this is what Lily wants to see me in on her wedding day."

"Well, I _might_ have influenced her decision here," Sirius confessed, causing Remus to cross his arms. "Maybe I picked the outfit out myself," he added, placing a hand on Remus' bum and giving it a squeeze.

"You're a dog." Remus turned and went to go change back into his trousers and top.

"What did you expect?" Sirius asked, barging into Remus' dressing room. "I _am_ a dog. What? Don't stop changing on my behalf."

Rolling his eyes, Remus unbuttoned his shirt deftly. "We're not shagging here," he said tersely as he hung the new shirt. "The rehearsal dinner is in an hour and I'd like to shower before we go."

"We could multi-task," Sirius suggested hopefully.

"We could," Remus agreed, unable to hold in his salacious grin.

The rehearsal dinner was a small gathering of close friends who were either in or helping with the wedding. James' face was alight with nervous excitement and Lily was radiant with the effervescent glow of a bride before her wedding. There was a happy buzz to the chatter now that they had run through the plans for the next day.

"Moony," James called across the room. Remus approached James so they would not have to shout their conversation. "How'd the pants work out?" he asked, grinning. Then he added, "Padfoot seemed to enjoy picking them out for you."

"He enjoyed getting me out of them too," he retorted with a wink.

"Oh jeez, Remus," Peter snorted from next to James. "Thanks for the visual."

Remus took a long draw from his pewter mug of mead and took in the room. He caught sight of Sirius with the Prewett brothers and Marlene McKinnon, enjoying a laugh. It was Lily's voice that brought Remus back to the conversation.

"I'd keep an eye on her if I were you," she said with a nod towards Sirius.

"On Marlene?" Remus clarified.

"She's out to _get_ Sirius," Lily whispered with a significant nod.

This news stunned Remus into momentarily silence allowing James to pipe in. "Doesn't she know they're together?" he asked nodding towards Remus.

"She is going to, and I quote, convert him," Lily told them with a dark look on her face. "I've told her not to meddle but," she shrugged as if to say there isn't anything to be done.

It was disconcerting to hear that others thought Sirius was on the market like a flat no one lived in. He and Remus had been together for two years and were, at least Remus thought so, happy. "I'll keep my eyes peeled," he finally said in a quiet voice.

Sirius had been quite affection that evening which assuaged Remus' clouding doubt which had been hanging over him since dinner. They were both exhausted after a long day but had spare energy for tender moments before bedtime.

"Tomorrow is the big day," Sirius muttered sleepily as he pulled the blanket over his shoulder.

"The very big day," Remus agreed, deciding to stay with Sirius as he drifted into sleep. Remus had insisted on not completely cohabitating after graduation as a way to let themselves be close but still 'be their own person' – whatever that was supposed to mean. Sirius was supportive of Remus' need for individual growth and maturation but often struggled at maintaining separate habitation spaces.

After several minutes, the bed creaked as Remus rolled towards the edge of the bed in an attempt to return to his own room. Despite the attempt at stealth, Sirius was alerted to Remus' movement. The two men had been utterly aware of one another for nearly two years so it was a bit silly for Remus to try leaving the bed, or doing anything for that matter, without Sirius catching on to his actions.

Snaking his arm around Remus' waist, Sirius pulled the warm, thin body close as he said, "Stay with me tonight."

It wasn't the first time he made the request and it wasn't the first time Remus denied him. "Not tonight, love," Remus murmured gently. Not wanting to linger in the awkward moment, Remus made his way across the smooth, wood floor and to his own room. The sheets were a nice contrast to the warm ones Remus just left but they also felt empty and lonely.

For the last few months, Remus wanted to stay with Sirius each night and never leave his side but he was afraid to say so. The weeks before James and Lily's wedding had been too hectic to have a serious relationship discussion but afterwards seemed an appropriate time to talk about taking their relationship further. Yes, it would be best to let it be a surprise after the wedding. Remus, his eyes fluttering shut with sleep, decided he would keep his feelings close to the chest until the reception.

The wedding was lavish and full of joy. It was a wonderful reprieve from the daily stress and danger of the war. Music was softly playing in the pavilion where they held the reception. Remus was catching up with Benjy Fenwick while keeping an eye on Marlene's attempts to corner Sirius. They ended up doing a few dances together, as maid of honor and best man it was expected that they spend a good portion of the evening arm in arm.

To his credit, Sirius looked politely disinterested in Marlene's advances. After a few perfunctory cycles around the dance floor, Sirius placed a cordial kiss on Marlene's cheek and left her with the Longbottoms before making a b-line to Remus and Benjy.

"I think my best man duties are almost done," he announced by way of a greeting.

"Now you can enjoy yourself, mate," Benjy said with a laugh.

"That's my plan," Sirius laughed.

Remus opened his mouth to ask Sirius to dance, so they could talk, but hesitated. Despite having planned on using that evening for a romantic rekindling between them, he had to pause and steel himself. It was the moment of hesitation that caused the moment to sail by.

Caradoc, Fabian, and Sturgis hailed Sirius from their table. "I'll be back in a jiffy, Moony," Sirius said as he waved to the nearby group.

"I'm going to get some air," Remus said, excusing himself from the table. Outside he met Gideon who was lighting a cigarette.

"Evening," Gideon called out, inviting Remus to join him. "Want a drag?"

Remus accepted and inhaled the tart smoke. "I heard you and Fabian had a run-in with some death eaters last week. How'd you get out of that one?" he asked as he handed back the cigarette.

Gideon let out of short burst of laughter. "Mostly luck, I'd say. You and Sirius have been in more than one scrape together."

"You wouldn't believe the mess he got us into yesterday," Remus started with a wry smile. He stopped before retelling the entire story – they hadn't talked to other Order members about Sirius, James, and Peter being animagi. "We got out without mayhem and destruction but it took some fast talking on my part," he finished, hoping that Gideon wouldn't probe further.

Before Gideon had a chance to ask for more details, Peter came out of the tent and joined them. "Bit warm in there, isn't it?" he said standing to the left of Remus. "Been asking Marlene for a dance but she hasn't been interested," he added with a sigh.

"Maybe she just needs a few more drinks," Gideon offered helpfully.

"That makes me feel wonderful," Peter huffed sullenly.

Gideon and Remus tried cheering Peter with their falsely optimistic encouragement about him finding the right woman eventually. When words failed to cheer the mousy-haired wizard, Remus ordered more drinks.

"Cheers," Gideon said raising his glass. "To finding the right woman." Glancing at Remus, he added, "Or man."

"Cheers," Remus chuckled.

With slightly less melancholy in his voice, Peter added, "Cheers."

Feeling emboldened by liquid courage, Remus decided to find Sirius. His first sweep of the reception was unsuccessful in finding Sirius. Caradoc and Sturgis were still around but they were chatting up women, clearly looking for a bit of wedding-night romance of their own. Not wanting to search frantically for Sirius while he could be in the loo, Remus took a seat and tapped his foot to the music.

He waited through a set of songs, a few lively tunes and one that was meant for slow-dancing, but Sirius was nowhere in sight. The ugly beast of suspicion crept into his mind as he swept the room to see who else was missing. A lead weight dropped in his heart as he noticed that Marlene was nowhere to be seen. Having just been out front of the reception area, Remus decided to explore the back.

Stepping outside in the warm evening air, Remus was on alert for any sounds that indicated more than wedding festivities were afoot. Not too far from the door, Remus heard voices behind a lilac bush. When Sirius' voice washed over him, Remus felt suddenly queasy.

"Shouldn't you be snogging someone else?" came Fabian's voice, it was no more than a whisper yet it carried through the evening air. "Or is this the champagne speaking?"

"It's much more than the fine champagne…" Sirius murmured.

Not able to idly listen to this exchange, Remus lit his wand and rounded the bush to the great surprise of Fabian and Sirius.

"Remus! I –" Sirius faltered at the look on Remus' face. "I can explain."

"It's much more than the champagne?" came Remus' cold voice. "Don't bother coming home tonight, Black," Remus said turning away from the two still bewildered faces.

Pausing for a moment by the door, Remus could hear Sirius adding his colored commentary to the situation. Ignoring the latest outburst of "Balls, what do I do now?" Remus took in a composing breath and reentered the party. He couldn't believe that Sirius had felt so distant that he was seeking comfort in the drunken arms of another man. Perhaps they could work things out but theirs was a romance fractured.

A/N: One more part left! I hope you've enjoyed the story so far. The next chapter will be slightly sad. I'd love to hear what you think! -Rose


	3. Act 3: Betrayal

**August, 1981**

Remus crouched under a windowsill, hoping that his disillusionment charm would hold. They weren't his strong-suit when it came to defense and concealment but it was the best he could do so far removed from recourses like James' invisibility cloak. His assignment up north seemed more of a diversion rather than an important mission for the Order. Yet, Remus dutifully followed the suspected death eaters throughout their days.

The Order kept in touch by sending up various members to see how Remus was doing. It was lonely and solitary but it also gave the young wizard time to reflect. After the war he planned on reengaging with his friends to rebuild relationships that were crumbling due to distance and hurt feelings but for now all he could do was his job, as mindless as it seemed on most days.

He was due for a check-in with the Order in mere hours. Last time it was Mad-Eye who visited and questioned him about the death eater activity in the area. It felt more like an interrogation than Remus had expected, but that could just be how it felt to talk to the auror. This time he was to meet with Sirius – the very thought of which made Remus' stomach feel like it were made of worms.

Romance had done their friendship irrevocable damage when their love-life fell apart. Their breakup had almost split apart the quartet of friends. No one wanted to take sides but everyone ultimately does when a fissure splits a group.

The last time Sirius and Remus met face-to-face there had been physical blow, not between the former lovers but between James and Sirius.

It was just a few months back when Dumbledore had convened all members of the Order together to ensure mutual recognition between members and to give people a break from their grueling hours. It was difficult to convince some of the more cautious members that meeting in a large group was a wise idea. To most, it felt like a summer picnic, if most picnics involved a great deal of security and secret locations.

Remus was chatting with Dorcas and enjoying a frosty butterbeer when Sirius walked in hand-in-hand with Marlene of all people. It was as if the chill from his beverage spread throughout Remus' entire body. Closing his eyes momentarily, Remus told himself to be cordial. "She's been on him like a grindylow," Dorcas muttered quietly, seeing Remus' gaze move away from Marlene and Sirius.

"Hmm," was all Remus could get out before he was pulled away by Elphias to discuss information they had on death eater recruitment.

The afternoon passed without Remus in the same conversation as Sirius. Instead he talked with Fabian and Gideon, learning that they'd be hiding out at a family cottage by the ocean. Edgar Bones talked about going abroad to garner support from his international connections. Benjy was asked to investigate members of the Ministry – many of his coworkers and friends. Everyone had interesting, important work except for Remus.

In an effort to avoid an uncomfortable encounter, Remus even stood distant from Sirius, James, Lily, and Peter in a picture Dumbledore insisted they take. "It's for posterity, after all," Remus could hear Sirius whisper in a lofty voice. James chuckled quietly, then straightened his face at a huff from Lily. Remus tried not to scowl at the immaturity.

After they were all blinded by the flash of a bulb, people were starting to leave the quiet party. "Can I have a word, Moony?" James asked, stepping onto the back porch. Remus followed him out and leant against the railing, quite at his ease with one of his few friends. "I'm worried about you," James said without preamble. "We've hardly heard from you in the last few months."

"I've been spying on death eaters," Remus reminded him. "That doesn't bring me by for afternoon tea very often. He knew that it was just the death eaters that kept him away – despite having more than a year since he and Sirius decided to officially split up, he was still nursing a broken heart. After catching Sirius in a romantic moment with Fabian, Remus gave Sirius a second chance, which turned into a third and fourth.

James saw the look of melancholy cloud Remus' face and reached out to give him a consolatory pat on the shoulder when Sirius appeared on the porch. "Prongs," he said with a grin, then, as if just seeing his ex, added, "Hello, Remus."

The change from using a nickname they created in school to first name felt like a slight which was one of many he had experienced since breaking up. Deciding to stop sniveling like a wounded puppy, Remus used the best tool of the brokenhearted – cold sarcasm. "I see you and Marlene are doing well," he said with an airy coolness.

"She's quite… satiating," Sirius smirked, wanting to meet Remus' snark with happiness from his new relationship. Sirius couldn't really say he was that truly content with Marlene – she felt more like a Band-Aid to mask the pain he felt from his falling out with Remus.

"I can think of at least two things you like about her," came Remus' retort, slipping from his brain to mouth without going through any filters.

James was starting to look uncomfortable and his protest of "Guys," was unheard by either of his friends.

Sirius straightened his back and narrowed his eyes slightly, "Like that she isn't a frosty bitch? Or that she let me into her life?"

Silence hung in the air for moments while Remus' heart started to race and James' look tense, ready to jump into action if needed. In a slightly more firm voice, James started to say, "This isn't the place," but was cut off by Sirius who looked suddenly vindictive.

"I don't know what else I expected from a werewolf," he uttered in a low voice.

It was a visceral reaction, James reaching back and releasing his fist into Sirius' jaw. The half step back that Sirius stumbled was all it took for his face to contort in rage and confusion. "No, Sirius," James asserted. "There are some lines you just can't cross."

"Fine," Sirius huffed before turning on his heel and going back inside.

It had been on that unsavory note that Remus last spoke to Sirius not two month back. Remus pulled out of his painful reverie only to see his mark had left. It wasn't easy tailing someone without them taking note, especially when they were as paranoid as this death eater was.

After a long while on a fruitless journey for information, Remus went to his tiny flat where Sirius would be meeting him. The watch on his wrist seemed to speed up as Remus' heart raced. He could hear footsteps in the hall and hoped that it was anyone else from the Order but Sirius.

The tap at the door and a terse, "Remus, it's me," told the anxious werewolf all he needed to know. Sirius was outside his door.

"It's unlocked," he called in a shaky voice. Sirius stepped just in the door and looked at the cell-like room Remus resided in. "It's not much," Remus said, trying for a stab at casual conversation.

"No, it's not," Sirius agreed in a quiet voice. Shutting the door, he took another step into the room.

Remus was taken aback by the change that had come over Sirius in the months since they last saw each other. His cheeks were hollowed out – perhaps he was not eating well. There was a slightly dead look to his eyes as well. It occurred to Remus that it had only been weeks since Marlene's murder. His prolonged grief for her created sympathy and jealousy but it was compassion that won out as he said, "I'm sorry about Marlene."

Sirius' eyes flashed dangerously at these words and spat out, "Are you now?" The unsaid accusation hit hard.

"I…" Remus faltered, not knowing how to steer the conversation with Sirius when he was so uneven.

"Do you transform here?" Sirius asked bluntly.

Taken aback by the sudden shift in topic, Remus answered, "No. There's a room in the basement, more of a closet actually, that I use."

"Good. There's been talk of werewolves maiming people on Voldemort's orders," Sirius stated, not keeping the accusation out of his voice this time.

"How could you think- "Remus started, feeling not at all ready for that level of mistrust from someone he once held in closest confidence.

Ignoring the half-formed question, Sirius moved on. "What have you gathered about Rowe?"

Desperate to insert some levity in the conversation, Remus joked, "I don't think he's a dog person." The allusion to their misadventure together did not budge Sirius from his glower. "There isn't much to tell about him," he added. "He doesn't meet with known death eaters. I, uh, have a list of his contacts over here."

Remus crossed the room to a table he was using for notes on his mission. "I'll take those," came Sirius' voice. "Is there anything else?"

Sirius' coldness, borderline hostility, towards Remus warranted an inquiry. Finally facing Sirius, a mere few feet apart, Remus asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," was all he got for a response.

"There's been a lot going on recently," commented, feeling concern for Sirius mount with each exchange. "We can talk about it if you'd like," he paused before adding, "I'd like to think we can still be friends."

It might have been the piteous look on Sirius' face, or his own need for affection, but Remus moved closer to Sirius so that they were almost touching and gently stroked his cheek. "I just want to forget it all," Sirius confessed, leaning into Remus' tall frame. "I wish I could…"

Finally, the opening Remus had been hoping for, the moment to be vulnerable and show that he could be the person Sirius needed. "I would like to forget the war and be with you," Remus breathed, reaching down to take Sirius' hand in his.

Sirius jerked his arm away from Remus' probing hand and scowled, "It's not the war I want to forget – it's your treachery."

Stepping back, as if physically pushed, Remus could only stare at Sirius for a few moments before saying, "My treachery?"

"You've been good, Lupin, very good," Sirius fumed. "First with Marlene and her whole family, just to make it look convincing." Remus' jaw went slack at this allegation. "Then you moved on the Prewett brothers, still angry with Fabian."

"Sirius…" Remus protested weakly. "How could you think that I'd-"

"Because you're cold, calculating, and possessive," Sirius nearly yelled. "You're feeding Voldemort information on the Order with the crazed hope of-"

Enough shock left Remus' system at this point for him to lash out against this unfounded tirade. "Of what? Getting you back?" He let out a short laugh. "You're really full of yourself, Black. Half of the Order has been put into hiding or murdered and you think it's part of a scheme for me to get into your pants?"

"You were keen enough to try it just now! For all I know you'll move on James and Peter just to eliminate my other friends."

This was beyond ludicrous – sense had entirely left the conversation.

"Have you been railing against me to the others? Is that why I've been ditched up here?" Remus' head was spinning as all his doubts and uncertainty came back in full force.

"That was just luck," Sirius shot back.

"You're completely around the twist," Remus muttered.

"I loved you," Sirius croaked. "I loved you and now you're… you're a death eater." Tears welled in Sirius' eyes but that did not stop him from advancing on Remus and pulling him into an angry kiss. Unlike the many other kisses the two men shared, this one was fueled by neither lust nor passion – rather it was the dying ember of a fire long gone out.

He wanted to fall into the kiss and live out one last moment of affection but it would be a lie. Neither of them felt that way for each other. Pushing Sirius back, Remus managed, "You have your information, so just leave."

The emptiness of his forced kiss confirmed for Sirius that Remus was not the man he once loved. It was with great sadness that he parted, feeling the deep sting of betrayal. A curtain fell on the friends, turned lovers that soured forever severing the bond they had so passionately shared.

A/N:

That is betrayal. Yup. So, I'm going to write a brief epilogue to this showing their relationship at the start of OotP and make it so that my story can stay in line with Epitaph of a Good Man and HIKML. I'd love to know what you think! Was there too much relationship and not enough other plot? Was I too mean? *hides* If you recall that this is thematically tied to Pique Dame by Franz Suppe. The last act is meant to be more turbulent like the last part of the song.


	4. After the Curtain Falls

**August, 1994**

The newspaper headlines were grim but that only pulled Remus into deeper concentration as he read about the death eater appearance at the World Cup, making notes here and there on a sheaf of parchment to record his observations and theories on the current events. A scratch on the backdoor made Remus jump, smudging ink across part of his paper. The scratching grew more persistent, causing Remus to investigate the noise.

A playful yip from outside the door told Remus everything he needed to know. "Padfoot," he exclaimed, wrenching the door open. A large, black dog capered inside as if it were a regular guest.

Once the door was shut, the dog transformed back into its human form. Sirius stretched out as luxuriously and grinned lazily at Remus. "Thought I'd stop by on my way to Hogwarts," Sirius explained as if this were a common trip for him to make.

"What happened to hiding out somewhere tropical?" Remus asked, still in shock over his friend's appearance. Before Sirius could answer, he worked out the only thing that could pull Sirius out of safety. "Is Harry in danger?"

"I'm… not quite sure yet. He wrote to me about his scar and a dream about Voldemort less than a week back and then that mess at the World Cup…" his voice trailed off as he looked around the small house.

"I was just reading about that," Remus told him. "How did you know where I-"

"Live?" Sirius finished for him. "Dumbledore," he said, as if that were all the explanation needed. "I've been in contact with him and he thought I might want to know where you lived these days. "

"Thoughtful of him," Remus agreed quietly.

Silence fell between them, filling the small space. It had been so many years since they last spoke at length and longer since they had been in close confidence. When Sirius decided to detour to see Remus, he imagined seeing the Remus he had loved, whose heart had not yet been broken by careless actions and spiteful words. Seeing the older and careworn man in front of him, only reminded Sirius how much damage he had done. Though, the damage had not been entirely single-sided. Remus had spent the months since learning of Sirius' innocence wading through a complex series of guilt, regret, and longing for not questioning Sirius' assumed betrayal.

"I thought we could talk… catch up, really," Sirius offered to break the quiet.

Remus nodded, saying, "That sounds nice. I'll put some tea on."

The sound of a chair being dragged back and then pulled in told Remus that Sirius took a seat at the table. He wasn't quite ready to face a conversation with him yet, at least not one about _them_. Once he had two hot cups of tea, one with sugar, one with cream, Remus returned to the table and sat opposite of Sirius.

"Thank you," Sirius said, accepting the sugared tea. "I can't remember the last cup of tea I had," he commented after enjoying his first sip.

"I can't begin to imagine what you were deprived of in Azkaban," came Remus' stony voice.

Sirius recognized the tone immediately as self-loathing, which was akin to a default setting for Remus. "Don't…" he said softly. "That hell is behind me and I want to look at what's in front of me."

The meaning laced in Sirius' reply almost made Remus choke on his tea. Not feeling quite ready to discuss their relationship, Remus feigned misunderstanding. "Being Harry's godfather is quite the responsibility."

Not missing a beat, Sirius said, "It is quite the responsibility – one that I'm glad to finally be able to uphold." He let a comfortable silence fall between adding, "but that's not all I have in front of me."

Remus gulped and cast about for another duty to mention. "Of course you'll want to find Peter."

Sirius set his tea down and reached across the table, rubbing his thumb across the back of Remus' slightly trembling hand. "There's that but there's also you."

There was no dodging his meaning at this point. Conflicting emotions ran through Remus at feeling Sirius' touch and seeing the telling look in his grey eyes. "I… I can't, Sirius." When Sirius did not respond, Remus continued, "I can't go back to what we had or pretend that the last 13 years didn't happen. I'm not the same person you knew."

To Remus' shock, Sirius smiled. "I don't want what we had – I want us to build something new. That is, if you want."

With a surge of honesty, Remus tried his best to be articulate while his mind was teaming with pros and cons of Sirius' proposition. "I loved you for years after you left," he said evenly, not wanting to get choked up out of the gate. "Now that you're back I don't know what to feel or think for that matter." Before continuing, Remus held Sirius' hand, remembering a time when the action had been so commonplace between them. "I dreamt of this happening but I can't revisit those youthful hopes without knowing if we're still friends."

This was a blow for Sirius but he would not be deterred. "Of course, friends first. I just don't want to miss my window."

"You won't have to worry about that – no one is lining up to date a werewolf who can barely hold down respectable employment," Remus laughed.

"Hasn't there been anyone?" Sirius asked, wondering if Remus had been just as lonely as he was since their relationship ended.

"I've dated," Remus conceded. "But it's not a common occurrence."

Sirius squeezed Remus' hand before letting go. "Friends it is – and not the dodgy type either."

Remus raised an eyebrow at Sirius, " I was never the dodgy type."

Letting out a bark-like laugh, Sirius agreed. He was pleased that if he couldn't have his lover back that he was at least getting back his best friend. There would be time to see where their relationship would go from there.

A/N:

So… yay! It's over. I thought giving this story an epilogue would help diffuse the feels from the third act and still leave people with a sting of sad. Thank you so much for reading! I've love your reaction to the story as a whole or this part of it. -Rose


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